Showing posts with label ougd101. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ougd101. Show all posts
Monday, 22 November 2010
End of module self-evaluation
What skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them?
Before attending this course, I had never experienced using Illustrator and didn't realise the advantage it could have on my work if I had the skills and knowledge to use this program. We had some illustrator sessions, which were basic, but necessary none the less. But I still found myself finding it difficult to remember what I had been taught and found myself asking my peers about tools and methods. By asking around I gained new skills and a new found ability to use Illustrator; such skills were applied to many elements of work, I could think of new idea's I now had an ability to deliver them. I found peers with more experience I great help with work, just by asking for a little help, you can gain so much. Idea's were always offered to me, and help to deliver them too.
Another skill I think I have gained within my time here is time management and general organisation skills. The first week I found very difficult juggling my time between university, socialising, personal study time at home and general time for myself. I found myself sitting on my laptop blogging for ever more. But soon realised this would make my time at university hell so needed to have a healthy balance. This I believe I have found, I'm not rushing around to meet deadlines or being unsociable.
Another element of the course I have found useful is the setting of tight, industry like deadlines. It's really forces you into having time limits and a forced focus to do work. Also the want to do you best in a set time is your main motivation, so if your not happy with finalised designs, it's not a case of having more time to do it. This seems to happen to me alot, producing more and more final designs as what you feel should be you final product just isn't up to scratch.
What approaches to methods of research have you developed and how have they informed your design development process?
My approach to research has always been a bit of a struggle. I don't particularly, at first, like to do research when approaching the design process. But find when I do, it's always been useful and giving me new, and better idea's. At college, the only sense of research I would do would consist of using google. But since being here, Iv'e found new ways to research; using the resources in the library, using the internet to find designers - in which to research more in depth and visit exhibitions etc, and most importantly, independent research of simple roaming the streets with my camera finding inspiration along the way - This method I like the most, it's hands on and is far more interesting and individual. Such methods of research have really helped me with my design process, giving me new idea's, and new ways to approach my work.
What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?
I think my hand drawn typography and illustrations are my main strength within my work, they make my work look very personal and detailed. Particularly my black outline illustrations, their simple approach to colour palette means they work with a variation of mediums. With my newfound skill within illustration means I can improve the quality of such hand rendered type and image to have a professional and seamless quality. Rather than work simply scanned in and used straight onto an image, I can now add and delete elements, change and improve parts, add colour and texture; giving a wider range of works I could use them within and adapt them to be suitable for just that.
What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these more fully?
Layout is generally an issue for me, my work has always been quite scrap-book like in structure, and scrambled together. I now feel myself wanting to create contemporary, modern designs using templates and grids but don't have an imaginative inability to do so. I feel the only way I can improve my ability to do so is to look at designs which I feel are out of my comfort range and attempt to re-create grid and structures within my own time. Another weakness I feel is my opinion that my work is only ever acceptable or good when I have hand rendered objects within it. I really need to move on from this, and perhaps not be so critical of my work.
Identify five things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from these.
1.
Explore a range of different approaches to work rather than just sticking to just a few within my comfort zone. By doing so, I feel a will have a more varied portfolio of work, and will broaden my spectrum towards works.
2.
Explore template using trail and error and try a few grids and structures, try to avoid a meaningless layout and ask myself why. This will give me more focus within my designs, asking myself why I'm doing something in particular will mean I'm looking at it from some else's perspective; I can see if it makes sense.
3.
To get myself to some exhibitions, perhaps contact some graphic designers and illustrators and ask for advice and gain myself some more knowledge in general about graphic design, the use of different elements within it; photography, illustration, grids and structures and see if I can apply such idea's and formats to my own designs.
4.
To gain more feedback about my work, in order to have a clearer understanding about my work, so I don't focus on the bad elements of my work, and instead hear critical advice and improve from there on.
5.
To plan my approach to presenting my work, depending on the brief at hand. If I know it will be a research brief, and will include a lot of writing and small drawings, perhaps purchase an a4 notepad to record all my findings. If a brief is very much based on drawing very detailed images, idea's and planning's, then use high quality design sheets. Not only does this give me a range of approaches to presenting work, it makes it easier for myself to refer back to work if needs be.
How would you grade yourself and the following areas?
Attendance: 4
Punctuality: 4
Motivation: 3
Commitment: 4
Quantity of work produced: 3
Quality of work produced : 2
Contribution to the group: 4
Before attending this course, I had never experienced using Illustrator and didn't realise the advantage it could have on my work if I had the skills and knowledge to use this program. We had some illustrator sessions, which were basic, but necessary none the less. But I still found myself finding it difficult to remember what I had been taught and found myself asking my peers about tools and methods. By asking around I gained new skills and a new found ability to use Illustrator; such skills were applied to many elements of work, I could think of new idea's I now had an ability to deliver them. I found peers with more experience I great help with work, just by asking for a little help, you can gain so much. Idea's were always offered to me, and help to deliver them too.
Another skill I think I have gained within my time here is time management and general organisation skills. The first week I found very difficult juggling my time between university, socialising, personal study time at home and general time for myself. I found myself sitting on my laptop blogging for ever more. But soon realised this would make my time at university hell so needed to have a healthy balance. This I believe I have found, I'm not rushing around to meet deadlines or being unsociable.
Another element of the course I have found useful is the setting of tight, industry like deadlines. It's really forces you into having time limits and a forced focus to do work. Also the want to do you best in a set time is your main motivation, so if your not happy with finalised designs, it's not a case of having more time to do it. This seems to happen to me alot, producing more and more final designs as what you feel should be you final product just isn't up to scratch.
What approaches to methods of research have you developed and how have they informed your design development process?
My approach to research has always been a bit of a struggle. I don't particularly, at first, like to do research when approaching the design process. But find when I do, it's always been useful and giving me new, and better idea's. At college, the only sense of research I would do would consist of using google. But since being here, Iv'e found new ways to research; using the resources in the library, using the internet to find designers - in which to research more in depth and visit exhibitions etc, and most importantly, independent research of simple roaming the streets with my camera finding inspiration along the way - This method I like the most, it's hands on and is far more interesting and individual. Such methods of research have really helped me with my design process, giving me new idea's, and new ways to approach my work.
What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?
I think my hand drawn typography and illustrations are my main strength within my work, they make my work look very personal and detailed. Particularly my black outline illustrations, their simple approach to colour palette means they work with a variation of mediums. With my newfound skill within illustration means I can improve the quality of such hand rendered type and image to have a professional and seamless quality. Rather than work simply scanned in and used straight onto an image, I can now add and delete elements, change and improve parts, add colour and texture; giving a wider range of works I could use them within and adapt them to be suitable for just that.
What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these more fully?
Layout is generally an issue for me, my work has always been quite scrap-book like in structure, and scrambled together. I now feel myself wanting to create contemporary, modern designs using templates and grids but don't have an imaginative inability to do so. I feel the only way I can improve my ability to do so is to look at designs which I feel are out of my comfort range and attempt to re-create grid and structures within my own time. Another weakness I feel is my opinion that my work is only ever acceptable or good when I have hand rendered objects within it. I really need to move on from this, and perhaps not be so critical of my work.
Identify five things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from these.
1.
Explore a range of different approaches to work rather than just sticking to just a few within my comfort zone. By doing so, I feel a will have a more varied portfolio of work, and will broaden my spectrum towards works.
2.
Explore template using trail and error and try a few grids and structures, try to avoid a meaningless layout and ask myself why. This will give me more focus within my designs, asking myself why I'm doing something in particular will mean I'm looking at it from some else's perspective; I can see if it makes sense.
3.
To get myself to some exhibitions, perhaps contact some graphic designers and illustrators and ask for advice and gain myself some more knowledge in general about graphic design, the use of different elements within it; photography, illustration, grids and structures and see if I can apply such idea's and formats to my own designs.
4.
To gain more feedback about my work, in order to have a clearer understanding about my work, so I don't focus on the bad elements of my work, and instead hear critical advice and improve from there on.
5.
To plan my approach to presenting my work, depending on the brief at hand. If I know it will be a research brief, and will include a lot of writing and small drawings, perhaps purchase an a4 notepad to record all my findings. If a brief is very much based on drawing very detailed images, idea's and planning's, then use high quality design sheets. Not only does this give me a range of approaches to presenting work, it makes it easier for myself to refer back to work if needs be.
How would you grade yourself and the following areas?
Attendance: 4
Punctuality: 4
Motivation: 3
Commitment: 4
Quantity of work produced: 3
Quality of work produced : 2
Contribution to the group: 4
Saturday, 20 November 2010
Illustrator Brief
Some development work - Using a range of different colours, swatches and strokes.
I decided to begin the process by using an existing font using the letter 'R'. I started using the basic skills learnt in the first illustrator session, increasing the stem length, removing bowls etc.
I then went on to using a range of swatches fills and strokes. Here's some development work...
From this I then picked 26 of my better designs, also picking the 1 colour I would be working with, in this case, purple. I printed this onto A1. ta da. And here it is:
I decided to begin the process by using an existing font using the letter 'R'. I started using the basic skills learnt in the first illustrator session, increasing the stem length, removing bowls etc.
I then went on to using a range of swatches fills and strokes. Here's some development work...
From this I then picked 26 of my better designs, also picking the 1 colour I would be working with, in this case, purple. I printed this onto A1. ta da. And here it is:
Friday, 19 November 2010
Final designs - to post
The finished, posted piece
A little battered and bruised but still in tact!
My ten pieces - 5 in colour, 5 in black and white
The mailing list
The insert, and its inside pages
This is my final design in which I had to post
The paper in which I printed onto was thin (enough to score and fold) matt paper. I admit, the hand drawn element a veered away from would have worked very well within the final product, I regret not using it, but it wasn't practical. Every design would be different, and, considering time, I didn't have enough of it to produce every one.
I do like the final outcome though. But, critically I could of done a little better. A few adaptations would have made me happier.
One issue I found with posting this, was its durability of the process. It came back squashed and the seals rather undone. Ideally I should have used a stronger card for the envelope as it's box like qualities cause weak points. Also, the idea of using pritt stick as a last minute resort before posting. Bad idea. Double sided tape of celotape would have been far more acceptable.
Monday, 15 November 2010
Some more designs, and images from final pin up!
An initial design which didn't go too well in all honesty. To complex in cutting, folding. When made up, there was no room for written information. so, i simply moved one from this idea all together.
Some template designs
Which lead on to these final designs...
Final front cover of envelope,
Now seeing it up against a wall, i do feel it doesn't give the idea of being bible-like, and intend on improving this, using floral like images which are used in religious books. Also material choice, printing this onto parchment or thicker, textured card would be brilliant.
Front cover of inside post. Same comment as above.
Inside of post. I really feel this has worked well. A little retouching on sizing perhaps but overall i feel i will be sticking with this design.
This needs some retouching. Its too simple i feel. Also i feel a pocket would benefit the two pull out cards so they can do just that. I will have to do some design sheet, to consider whether its actual pockets I want, or corners in which they can be held.
mind map - considering research for address list.
Friday, 12 November 2010
Some finalised and printed designs - It black and white if i may just state.
Finalised design printed in black and white to take to the crit!
Once printed and made I really liked my designs, especially the hand crafted qualities (hand drawn type and stitch like borders), some of the net were incomplete and the paper quality was poor - but it was just a mock up. The final product will be printed of card.
One of the problems with this piece I feel is size, its too big and the post is too small and is swamped by the big envelope so I will look into this.
Im happy with the appearance of the product, but changed could be made to make it look more bible like, which was the initial intention.
This didnt work as well as I hoped, technology was a bit of an issue and my inability to know how to create the idea within my head. I may possibly scrap this idea.
I really like the image to the left of this design, its simple and effective delivery of the message is strong. So much so, I may change my entire product to have a similar appearance and design, we shall see...
Design sheet & Note books
Some initial planning!
This is just a simple net, in which will hold an acetate sequence of declining crosses, used within the previous briff within my poster designs. As you open this it would reveal the sequence, and inside there is a small pocket in which small cards will pull out with info and stats about the decline in christianity.
The planning of the above net.
Another idea for a net, using a cut out grid revealing images beneath the layer, a few examples of images revealed is shown.
This is what I intend to put on the front of the above design, intending those who receive this will think about the subject matter 'whether the decline in christianity does in fact matter'. The word christianity will be replaced by the lower design which is used within my poster designs as a symbol.
The design for the front of the envelope.
An idea for the appearance of the envelope.
A few more designs, including border for the stamp location, a net of the envelope and design ideas.
Some idea's for the layout of the post, using draw like pull outs to reveal information.
The net for the main body of post.
The net for the pullout draws.
Some of my very first ideas planned out on a design sheet.
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